27-Aug-2005 -- This one is not for the faint-hearted and I can see now why no-one has visited it since Gordon's initial visit - I almost gave up on several occasions.

Now I'm not in the habit of drive 670 miles in a day to visit a confluence, but yet again a rowing meeting - this time in Glasgow- provided the excuse. The meeting concerned the World Masters Championships which happen in Glasgow next month (http://www.fwmr2005.com), and when I go up for the Championships proper I hope to complete a lot more Scottish confluences.

I parked by the sea in the car park with the view that this would be a gentle stroll. Over three hours later I had an entirely different view. This was a 7km slog with at least 3km tramped through often chest high grass, ferns and heather.

Pic 1 shows the actual view at the confluence or as near as I could ascertain with the very uncertain accuracy because of the almost complete tree cover, and also because I was scratched enough from the pine needles. The hole I crawled through to get to this point is in the distance about 30m away. Pic 2 is the GPS at this point. Pics (3-6) are taken from where I crawled in and show the views to the North, East, South and West. It is very fortuitous for this confluence that the tree cover is not complete and there are wide alleys through them as shown in the last 4 pictures which I presume to the be fire breaks. Also there are even narrower alleys through the cover which is what I crawled along to get to the actual confluence. Amazingly these seem to be designed to lead you to the confluence.

Before all this I first searched out Gordon's previously noted lifeguard's chair. It's still there and a bit more worse for wear. However, after I had noticed other ladder-like strucures in the forest, and areas where obviously a large group had previously trampled down the grass I believe that I have a solution to the mystery and it involvesthese. I think that the seemingly out-of-place chair has something to do with shooting.